Around the World Archives | Crown Financial Ministries

Partner of the Month: Empowering Nations

Judith Risa, founder and CEO of Empowering Nations, shares how her organization—launched in 2011 after she and her husband moved from Africa to the U.S.—is devoted to developing leaders and empowering families across 18 countries. Through small business loans, leadership training, marriage and spiritual formation courses, and projects like building a medical clinic in Tanzania and supporting widows in Nigeria, Empowering Nations works to reduce poverty while sharing the gospel and making disciples. Judith highlights the transformative impact of partnering with Crown since 2023, noting that Crown’s biblical financial stewardship tools—especially the African Money Map and Foundations for Farming—provide the essential financial training that complements their spiritual and leadership development work. Grateful for the partnership, she envisions an even greater future impact by bringing Crown’s resources to Africa’s youth so they can build strong financial and spiritual foundations early in life.

A Breakthrough Partnership: Crown Joins Hands with the Church of Uganda

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Crown is excited to share an update from a recent trip to Uganda—Crown’s newest Alliance Partner is the Church of Uganda! This partnership opens tremendous opportunities for Crown and Foundations for Farming to expand their outreach and impact.
Here are some of Chuck Bentley’s reflections on the trip:“We had a very special mission trip to this beautiful country called the Pearl of Africa, Uganda. I thank the Lord for the invitation from a friend into an existing relationship with the Church of Uganda (COU). This allowed us to quickly start a program that I believe will be: (1) the first partnership with an entire denomination with 13 million adherents, (2) a rapid national rollout, and (3) an impact on hurting people for God’s glory.”

Crown is deeply grateful for your partnership in making this possible. Please join us in prayer for this new alliance—that the Lord would bless the work, multiply its impact, and bring transformation across Uganda.

How Bible on Money Transformed a Ugandan Church

Meet Davis, a pastor in southwestern Uganda, whose life and ministry were transformed through Bible on Money. He shares how this resource reshaped his understanding of stewardship and wealth—not as the accumulation of things, but as a mindset. After applying these principles, he’s seen his church members’ giving habits change dramatically. Watch his story and see the impact for yourself!

Equipping Leaders, Inspiring Change: Crown in Central America

Mission Trip Update: Costa Rica & Panama

This August, under the leadership of Frank Gonzalez, Managing Director of Crown Solutions Spanish, Crown’s mission trips in Costa Rica and Panama reached over 7,000 people with the hope of God’s financial principles. These gatherings ignited vision in churches, entrepreneurs, and national leaders—showing how stewardship can bring transformation from the individual level to society at large.

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Costa Rica

More than 1,000 people were equipped in a single day of teaching on stewardship and entrepreneurship. Chuck Bentley also shared with business leaders and national policymakers how financial wisdom can fuel economic growth and stability. These conversations even opened doors to bring Crown’s training into Nicaragua for the very first time.

Panama Hosanna Church

Panama

In Panama, more than 5,000 people heard biblical financial teaching through conferences, church gatherings, and leadership training. More than 50 pastors and leaders were equipped to multiply this message, and a mission camp was identified as a potential training center for future outreach. The momentum is inspiring our national teams across 17 countries to dream bigger about the impact of biblical stewardship worldwide.

Training Financial Wisdom Through Play in South Africa

Maqhawe “Maq” Mthembu from Amazing Graces recently led a Money Map Game training for 40 participants—mostly women—at King’s Hope in the Olivenhoutbosch township near Pretoria, South Africa. This engaging, laughter-filled workshop uses the African Money Map game format to teach biblical financial principles like budgeting and generosity. One participant shared that learning to give as an act of love and the importance of budgeting were key takeaways from the experience.

Sowing Seeds of Financial Freedom in Ghana

A powerful testimony has come from Matthew Atokple, one of our dedicated Alliance Partners in Ghana, whose work through Feed the Generations International Ministries blends sustainable agriculture with biblical stewardship training. His story highlights the transformational impact of the African Money Map course and the ongoing growth in both faith and farming practices. This testimony demonstrates how biblical financial principles are empowering communities to flourish spiritually, financially, and agriculturally across Ghana and beyond.

“Feed the Generations International Ministries partners with communities to offer physical and spiritual support through sustainable agriculture and International Discipleship Training. We supply food to the community, promote the gospel through agriculture, and provide training in farming and biblical stewardship.

I was first invited to take the African Money Map course with Crown online in February 2022. It was a very impactful four-week series of lessons. After the completion of the course, I trained my team on financial stewardship using the Money Map principles. I truly believe that we cannot effectively teach concepts that we haven’t practiced ourselves. I’ve witnessed the positive impact of the Money Map on the financial freedom and faithful stewardship within our staff as they diligently care for themselves and their families. We have also experienced steady growth at the farm by being faithful stewards of what the Lord has given us.

Earlier this year I completed the Trainer of Trainers training in Rehoboth Training Center in South Africa and Money Map Training through Foundations for Farming and Crown, I feel that we are now well-prepared to teach the next generation about financial freedom, stewardship of the land and God’s provisions. Our fields are thriving, and local farmers are observing our effective mulch method, which prevents weeds, retains moisture, and preserves soil structure. We have trained 23 individuals from Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana at our 10 acres farm. Our next project is to offer the African Money Map training to single women in the vocational program.“

Matthew’s testimony is a compelling example of how biblical stewardship combined with practical training is bearing fruit in communities across Ghana and neighboring countries. Through partnerships rooted in faith and action, the vision for financial freedom and sustainable living continues to expand, impacting lives for God’s glory.

Transformed by Truth in Brazil

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Our Alliance Partner and friend Paulo Maximiano of Universidade da Família in Brazil recently shared a powerful testimony from Claudia Morato, who completed the 10-week Crown Bible Study. Her story reflects a deep spiritual, practical, and personal transformation—rooted in a renewed understanding of stewardship and guided by God’s principles for money.

“I’ve come to realize that everything I have—money, possessions, resources—belongs to God. I am simply a steward of His blessings. This understanding has shifted my perspective from focusing on this life to thinking of eternal life.

Spiritual Transformations

I’ve developed a renewed, biblical vision of wealth: understanding that it’s a resource to glorify God and serve others.
I’ve become more responsible in managing resources, always remembering that I am managing what is His.
My priorities are clearer now: pursuing God and obeying His Word above all else.

Practical Transformations

I’ve started to budget and plan my finances more effectively, aligning spending with God’s principles.
I’ve worked on reducing debt and unnecessary spending, choosing a more sustainable lifestyle.

Personal Transformations

My financial anxiety has decreased, as I’ve learned to trust God and manage resources wisely.
I feel more confident making financial decisions that honor Him.
With better financial management, I’ve discovered greater generosity—becoming more willing to help others and use wealth to serve God and His purposes.

I know this transformation is a continuous journey, as I strive to apply biblical principles to every aspect of my financial life.”

Claudia’s journey is a testament to the lasting impact that biblical financial principles can have when embraced with faith and commitment.

Crown Growing Across the South Pacific

Peter and his daughter Megan along with the Jared and his team at V2Life

Encouraging momentum continues in the South Pacific as Crown New Zealand reports two exciting developments.

Peter Crawford shared:
“We are excited to share that progress is being made on the completion of promotional videos for New Life Church senior pastors, promoting the new Crown Do Well finance course. These will also be helpful for promoting the course to other churches, since one of the endorsements comes from the pastor of the largest church within the New Life movement.

Also, the V2Life, Youth With a Mission (YWAM) base in Vanuatu will be starting its first Biblical Financial study with its Discipleship Training School (DTS) starting in July. The teaching phase for the DTS is 12 weeks, so the finance course fits well into the DTS timeframe. It will be using a Pacific version of the finance course, which has been simplified for people with English as their second or third language. We cannot wait to receive testimonies from this training event.”

Peter’s ongoing leadership in Crown New Zealand has been marked by perseverance and deep commitment. While continuing to seek a successor for the work in NZ, Peter has faithfully mentored Jared at V2Life, laying the foundation for the ministry in Vanuatu. By God’s grace and through Peter’s faithful guidance, the adoption of Crown materials at V2Life has taken root and begun to flourish.

The Road to Redemption

From an early desire to become a Catholic priest, Patrick’s journey took unexpected turns – leaving seminary, searching for meaning through jobs and education, and facing personal failure after misusing a student’s school fees. Yet, through it all, his calling to serve God remained strong. Now working with Crown as a trainer of trainers, he shares how he finally found peace and purpose by helping others discover the hope and life found in Jesus. This is a story of calling, struggle, redemption, and a renewed passion to serve.